- Operation finds 61 per cent of independent tobacco retailers visited selling illegal tobacco in Grimsby & Cleethorpes
- New poll reveals 76 per cent of North and North East Lincolnshire respondents surveyed think raising prices and taxes on legal tobacco will push people towards criminal behaviour
- Three in four (76 per cent) of respondents in North and North East Lincolnshire surveyed think politicians are not doing enough to tackle illegal tobacco trading
More than three-fifths of independent tobacco retailers visited in Grimsby and Cleethorpes have been found to be selling illicit tobacco.
The operation, conducted in February 2026, visited 38 independent shops selling tobacco, 23 of which (61 per cent) were found to be selling illegal tobacco.
Of the 23 shops found to be selling illicit tobacco this year, 22 had been subject to JTI test purchasing in previous years. Of those, three sold illegal tobacco in all three years, four were found to be complicit in both 2023 and 2024, and five were complicit in both 2024 and 2025.
These findings suggest enforcement in the region is not deterring independent shops from selling illegal goods and committing criminal offences.
HMRC estimates the issue of illegal tobacco is costing the Treasury over £2 billion nationally each tax year.
New polling commissioned by the It Costs More Than You Think campaign found 80 per cent of residents questioned in North and North East Lincolnshire believe there is not enough enforcement, while 76 per cent of those questioned believe politicians are not doing enough to tackle illegal tobacco trading.
Locals also understand the impact illegal tobacco has on legitimate retailers on the high street, with 59 per cent of those surveyed finding it very concerning that local businesses are struggling to compete with sellers of illegal tobacco.
The majority of the independent tobacco retailers visited that were found to be selling illegal tobacco kept illegal stock in a separate backroom. One stored their product in another premises four doors away.
The National Crime Agency’s Operation Machinize in 2025 highlighted how barbershops and other cash-intensive businesses can have links to organised crime and the selling of illicit goods on the high street.
Among the products bought were counterfeit Amber Leaf 50g for £5.00 and contraband Esse cigarettes for £4.00. For comparison, the recommended retail price of a legal 30g pouch of Amber leaf is £27.95.
From 1 October 2026, smokers will face a double duty increase, with the usual annual RPI plus two per cent tobacco uplift applied alongside a one-off additional rise on cigarettes and hand-rolling tobacco, introduced with the new vaping products duty.
Government figures show the one-off increase alone will add £1.21 to a pack of 20 cigarettes and £2.54 to a 30g pouch, creating a sharp price rise that risks pushing more consumers towards the black market.
Over two-thirds (76 per cent) of respondents in North and North East Lincolnshire agree that raising prices and taxes on legal tobacco are pushing people in their local area towards criminal behaviour, such as buying illegal tobacco.
All evidence gathered from the test purchases will be handed to Trading Standards and HM Revenue & Customs.
The It Costs More Than You Think campaign can be viewed here – the dedicated retailer page that outlines the risks of selling illegal tobacco, alongside helpful tips on how to spot illegal tobacco products and report stores selling illegal goods.